Everything she had ever been told was never far from the truth. Other than being clues here and there, truth would always win out. Now with his experiences with her parents added to this, it helped her to accept what others thought about the couple during their years at the castle, and that their early deaths were never in vain. They never were, if it brought friends closer together, rescued, from this death plot that has been torturing the world for decades, it seemed. Lyra was at peace to know her parents were honest people, for the most part, and how Prince remained close enough… If it were not for James, Prince would have been killed or infected. Whoever this Peter was or that Black, she could only be grateful that things were the way they were now. Imagining Prince in that kind of trap petrified her to a point that it refused to leave her mind from that night, onward.

Upon returning to Hogwarts, Prince gave her leave to enjoy herself before the evening would end. As Ron had hoped, they got to go for a carriage ride just an hour before the curfew would finally keep up with them. Of course, after the breezy ride, coming back inside the castle was greatly invited. Nothing suited better than a mug of hot cocoa before a warm fire. As soon as she finished her mug, Lyra had given the biggest yawn as she stared into the fire as she was snug well into the couch in the purely quiet private Quarters of Professor Prince. Ronald was warmly invited since the common room was eerily empty. It would not have been fair for the lad to go a cold night on his own.

"Thank you, Professor Prince, f-for letting me stay…" Ron fought a deep yawn turning towards the one behind them, finishing up by closing the book he was reading.

"Nothing of trifle, Master Weasley," that baritone uttered from the other end of the chambers. "This castle is endless, particularly at night. Stay comfortable."

Becoming all warmed from their quilts and the fire, the two were coming close to dozing off. That was when Prince decided to call it off for the night. By helping the children to bed, he chose to go and read by the fire for a little while, in hopes that he would sleep well too in due time. It was usual that his own heart would join his mind before it would lulled into indifference, to travel more naturally to calmer thoughts. Setting eyes on the sleeping ones nearby, it was a comfort for him. As he stared though, a familiar wisp sort of light made itself known to him. A soft light that danced close towards the dozy candles, as two soft wings soon appeared… in the form of a tiny woodwhite that found safety near the dreaming Gryffindors. Prince recognized this and only admired it from afar… Someone was kind enough to watch them. This began since the night he first took Lyra home. These little sprites made of light often evaded him, however this one was choosing to stay. In due time, the father stood up from the chair, while setting the book aside… Just before he would go on to his own bed, Prince to the Gryffindors, helped them be more snug in the covers, and landed a sweet kiss upon Lyra's cheek… all before the tiny witness.

Christmas day, in of itself, began with one yell from down the Common Room stairs. One that began with Lyra waking upon a sudden at no other than Ron's hollering this early in the morning~

"Lyra! Wake up! Y'gotta come and see!" she heard such a brightly sort of voice that she nearly jumped.

It appeared that the spirit of joy was with them all on this bright snowy Christmas morning. Only a second later, Lyra snapped back to the present and set her eyes directly onto the snow kissed window toward Felix's confused ruffling upon his stand. Excitedly, she swung her crimson covers right off of herself and began to run out only to find Ron standing in front of the fireplace, looking up at her with a bright smile. He wore something new, that being one thick woolen sweater with a enlarged first letter of his name knitted on the front.

"Happy Christmas, Lyra!"

"Happy Christmas, Ron~ What are you wearing?" Lyra giggled, prompting Ron to look back down at his sweater.

"Mum made it," he awkwardly stated before looking behind him at the tiny pine behind him. "But you have presents too!"

"I-I do~?"

"Yeah!"

Even more excited, Lyra began to run her way down the stairs to meet with him and the tiny tree that was speckled in tiny decorations and lit up like stars all about the thin branches. At the feet of the tree, there were two parcels… One exheedingly small, two other ones and one fairly medium sized. She had a clear inclination of who they could be from, however, her joy was very real. She knew she was watched when she took the smallest one in hand, and lightly untied its pink ribbon. Within the lid of the box wrote in very scratchy lettering spelling out Loulla which was the name she gave the sweet nursing elf when she was only 2 years old… Inside, tucked, was a knitted little bracelet made out of simple yarn that was neatly unwound and tied into tiny flower shapes.

"Who gave you this?"

"Oh, this is from our sweet little elf." Lyra said as she showed him the bracelet. "Remember?"

"Aw, a house elf made that? I'm still wowed, y'know, as to why any one would… No offense though, very pretty trinket!"

"Yes - I'll wear it now!" Lyra perked up, ignoring all that elf fuss and the little gift seemed to decide to tie itself around her wrist. "Only she can be that crafty~ next to father, of course…" she said before looking to the next parcel.

The next one was as long as a typical wand, wrapped rather messily and there was a note from Hagrid. He had given her a tiny flute~ one that was capable of attracting fairies should she ever get lost. The third parcel was a petit sweater like Ron's with the first letter of her name on the front too, the letter L. Lyra was giddy and put it on straight away.

It was one that was bigger than the second, so it prodded at her curiosity more. Lightly she picked it up as Ronald watched on while eating a few of Bertie Bott's as she opened the fragile tissue paper, only to reveal a… little aged black book. Dropping the paper, Lyra looked down at it, confused…

With the tissue had dropped a note that she noticed last minute, and it read…

This was in your mother's possession before she passed…

It is time that it would be passed to you.

Use it well.

Lyra read all this in silence and for certain when she did, that was when her ring felt warmer for a moment as she turned the book in hand.

"Wot's that then?" Ron prodded.

"It looks like a… diary." she slowly answered before sighting a gold embroider on the back corner of it.

It read simply of a year.

1932

"There is a year on it…"

"M'kay, a bit funny. Who gave it…?"

"I do not know, only this nameless note. It just says here to… use it well." Lyra spoke, still quite confounded.

"Well, lets open it. Lets see."

Diaries were personal things and it felt rather crude to read through something like this. However, this was gifted from someone anonymous, yet perhaps Prince knew more about this. However, curiosity struck her and she opened the old thick first page to some ink blots and almost faded ornate writing… Lyra read those first words aloud.

"… call me Charlie. The wayward canary that could never be caught… An invisible pioneer, a wandless wonder who lived in dust and mire…"

That was all on the first page and the few things that sparked their attention was the name of the writer and the fact that they used a word no muggle would use… Wandless.

Lyra felt something after reading those words. Emotions of great confidence, pride even despite that warning tone it had. As to who this 'Charlie' was, that was a complete mystery unless she would read farther. Respectfully, she closed the tiny diary as she fell into some deep thought…

"Could it be that this could be something to help us with what's been happening? 'Using it well' is quite the indicator that it might be…"

"Perhaps you should ask the Professor…"

"I should…"

After, it could have been him who gave it, or… it could have been Dumbledore himself. The trick here was knowing when to ask it because Prince was in a very solemn mood during the season, but always sought for her security and comfort first. The day was very young, however, and it being Christmas day to boot, Lyra soon got herself an idea after remembering Hermoine's desire to research more about the Chambers. Of course, none of this would go in secret because of the ring. Mercy on her should she ever try to take it off, and gladly that was not even in her thought process. However, as the day drew on with its splendor of blindingly white snow cover, Lyra prefered to be with herself and her little feathered companion who was starting to become very frisky from the chill in the air. All adorned in her new scarf and coat, she took Felix it out into the Transfiguration court on a bright noon. In her glove she held this mysterious gift, and at once when Felix opened his wings, she took it upon herself to open it, and dive more into those odd words. Whoever gave this small book away- to her, of all people - there had to be a reason.

Mrs. Norris became a constant eye over her as she would explore more of the castle, to make sure Peeves never would cause another fuss like he did earlier in the year. It was nice having all these eyes and ears become more like companions over the months, because now the feline cannot help herself but to curl around her feet as she would walk. It was then among one of those nights when Lyra was solely tempted to explore on her own again, and she hoped father would not mind it being late in the day for it. The least she promised to be close by to be on time for dinner. He advised her to never stray too far or too deep as the castle was a maze at nightfall, suggesting Norris's presence to be with her, always. Even the school was infamous for its endless secrets…

One night when Ron had gone to bed after a long stay up just two days before the Holiday ending, sadly, Lyra decided to go for a nightly walk with Mrs. Norris, with the ring tightly bound as she did not wish for any trouble, already. By keeping her word, the castle's beauty and endlessness was too mesmerizing to resist, and so she walked on with peace coming over her mind. There was something about these corridors that came off to her as otherwordly… unlike anything else in the world. As to how high the archways rose, each passage opening up to one way to another with eyes all around her. Even though it was cold from the nightly air, the girl kept her quilt tightly over her shoulders.

After nearly an hour of endless walking in her nightwear, there came a door nearside her that opened on its own, very slowly. Curiosity prodded her to enter through, but Prince's voice would commonly advise her otherwise. Mrs. Norris blinked slowly at the door as she calmly sat with her bushy tail swishing to and fro, not seeming phased at all. That spoke safety to Lyra and that earned her a small peek into the curved room… All she saw in the typical torchlight was a simple stony chamber. Quirrell sparked in her memory for a second that prodded her to take a step back… before she felt a presence beside her.

"Prince had made himself clear, ma'am…" uttered Lou Lou, timidly.

"I know. But why would this door open as I walked by it?" she asked… mainly to herself.

"I do not know, Lyra~ but I truly feel that you should return to Prince."

"Father knows where we are…" Lyra faithfully responded to the she-elf. "Besides, it will only be a quick look…"

Of course, she had to follow the girl who was more interested in her own curosity, or she may had a little too much faith. However, Lou Lou did not have the heart to discourage Lyra after so little freedom was sadly given to her over the years. Whenever Prince was involved, which was on the daily, things tended to happen for a specific reason. He knew Lyra so well, so the she-elf had to find that element of trust again as she followed the blanketed cub.

Through this mysterious door was an empty chamber, with each careful when looking in. Once inside though, there was this delightfully soft rhythm right off the strings of a harp. As Lyra seemed mystified, Lou Lou was not so sure and the two took in the eeriness of the atmosphere in this place before they spotted this golden harp housed by the moonlight through the window.

"Suppose… this place leads to a crown?" Lou Lou muttered as Lyra graced her fingers along the brass of the harp as it kept playing. Lyra seemed to take something out of her pajama pocket. A small black book, it looked like. "What could that be, dear?"

"I got it on Christmas morning," Lyra began, while turning the pages. "… there was no name. I wondered if father gave it…"

"Perhaps, ma'am."

"I hoped you knew…"

"Alas, even us elves aren't mind readers." Lou Lou shared a smile. "…why are we in here, ma'am…?"

"I only want to think." Lyra admitted. "We went to Godric's the other night… and he talked with me. About my parents~ He hardly would speak to me about them. I worried of what he thought about my father but it turned out that my real father saved Prince's life… They were not so much friends, but they understood each other at the end. My mother remained his friend, but things changed so drastically, so they were forever apart. There were friends who turned out rotten, after all… What hurts me to know is how unhelpful everyone else was back then. I understand why Prince is the way he is… I only wished I knew more sooner."

"He had reason to tell you recently," Lou Lou spoke.

"I will not press it. For him…"

After her brooding speach, they happened to come upone a narrow niche that opened into a sparingly wider corridor and as the two peeked around the corner, a spark of gold in the next room caught their eyes. With her new gift in hand, she opened it up to the next page and she was greeted with bolder lettering…

'You will never find a rainbow if you are looking down'

… and this tiny quote was accompanied by a carnation flower nestled on the opposite page, dated July 1931. With these words seeming so soft and simple, it pressed her to wonder. Much to Lou Lou's curiosity, Lyra tucked the little book away before they would continue their way deeper in. It was an odd place to be, first and foremost - which happened to be the strangest place for such an object as massive as a standing mirror in the middle of the room. A beautiful one with odd lettering ingraved over its brass crown… The two looked puzzled as they tried to read what it was…

Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi

"Who would put a mirror in the middle of a room?" Lou Lou asked, bringing Lyra back to the earth, from her thoughts.

"I would not know…" the girl replied, seeming enthralled by the object as a whole. It was beautiful, ancient, and it seemed to call to her. Even at her elf's tug, she got closer to it as a vision seemed to appear from deep inside the mirror itself.

"Do you see…?" she trailed off when the vision was made clear in front of her as she walked close, dropping her quilt. It was quite the shock.

What captured her was the nearly faded vision of herself back home at Spinner's End, being cared for when she had fallen ill. Father, Prince was right by her side as she slept on, sweeping her red hair aside before softly planting a kiss to her forehead… However, the image faded away to another of Prince cornering Quirrell, facing him, threatening and protective even on simple sunny days when the snake was snooping about after her and her friends… Lastly, there was the day when she fell off the broom, and as he held her after catching her, there was, indeed… a tear in his eye.

That right there was a message; a reminder, yet again. By then, this was showing her all that she knew now. Upon seeing this, she felt that warm tug in her chest… That journal's quote held more than what she thought… The she-elf peered in as well while Lyra had to take a step back from the mirror after the last vision was she being in Prince's winged embrace, that caused that lump to well up in her throat again. There was a clear indication that she was the only one who could see all that from within the mirror, but was there a reason why? Other than the fact that she had the desire to never break his weary heart again, and that thought had been on her mind since the very start of the year. Her thoughts were written visually right in front of her.

"It is as though Hogwarts knows everything about us…" she spoke after getting such a cryptic message. "…just like the wand maker, h-had…"

"But do not allow it to frighten you…" Lou Lou reminded. "It is only a mirror—"

Something else seemed to show through the glass again as the musical Harp ceased its song when her visions seemed to go up in flames, with no explanation why. Lyra had her hand on the frame before she began to walk away from it, almost in a breathless fright.

"… it does frighten me, Lou Lou… What if all this was a trick — We should not have come in here~" the girl worried before she decided to back away, wishing to go back to the corridor, fearing that something may happen to Prince and even her, for that matter. However, someone was watching quietly, and they chose to approach… Fortunately, the ever watchful Professor Albus Dumbledore was close to the two, who was so quiet although he did not lend a startle.

"Professor Dumbledore~ I-I'm sorry, w-we…"

"Oh, tut tut, there is no need to apologize, dear one." that weary voice greeted them, those kindly eyes behind those spectacles shimmering in the moonlight. "You are not the only one to be besotted by the sorrows and delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"S-sorrows and delights, sir?" Lyra found herself asking before glancing back at Lou Lou who came hiding behind her.

"Indeed, someone, the happiest one in the world, would be able to gaze directly into the mirror, and see himself exactly as he is." the elder began, slowing looking at the great mirror itself behind her.

"So… it shows what we want or know?"

"Yes… and no." the Elder answered, cryptically. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, dear girl, have only known one as being your only father, who sheltered you, nurtured you, who loves you… you see him always being with you, in trust and bond. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."

"If it shows me my desires… then it means that I've already have them."

"That is the truth of it, my dear~"

"Could what I see change?"

"Allow me to ask you this, Lyra Prince… do you believe it will change?"

"No. No, because I will not let it change. I cannot, sir~ after what he told me, as to how much I love him so much, I would not know what I would do should it all be dashed again."

"Certainly, it will not… He has confided in me that he will do anything to see that you are safe, and strong. His teachings stem from his learnings from his youth, and we, as a family, are ensuring that there is a firm future. If what you see in that mirror is how life for you is at present, than you are well your way on that narrow path… Come now, as this old mirror will be taken to a new home, I must advise that you keep that vision in mind."

The Headmaster was so kind enough to take the two to safer quarters after giving her some perspective, with her fears in check, bringing her to Prince who was neither far away or angry over the fact that she was exploring under moonlight, as he was patrolling the early hours. His eyes were sharply every searching for the Turban wearing fool who would often stalk the long nights, and never had he the chance to ever come close to the girl, especially when she was at her most vulnerable. As he was seeking shadows, Prince soon felt a cool hand take his. Without looking, he knew who it was and gazed down at her. Lyra felt him rest a hand over her cheek, feeling how chilled she was. Dumbledore remained by their side, keeping the exact same vigil…

"It is not our custom to walk about at night…" Prince softly reminded.

"Yes… b-but I wasn't alone." she timidly reasoned.

"Be that as it may… Come." he told her, taking her beneath his cape as they began to walk through the dark corridor.

As they did, Albus Dumbledore decided to take his sweet time, allowing them ahead as he over looked a portion of the court. With the simple wave of his hand, something began to be manipulated from within the mirror's chamber as a portion of wall and stone brick began to wither away like falling sand from an hourglass. The silluette of a stallion took its place upon the stone over the a niche that held a red stone at the heart of a stone crown…

Sooner or later, no doubt, Lyra found herself back in life's normalcy far sooner than she wished because Hogwarts was soon crowded over with her fellow students again as soon as the Holidays drifted away as quickly as the snow came the first time. With so much already on her mind, Lyra had to press forth with it sharpened, regardless. However, upon the noon after the beginning of their morning classes, Lyra had to pull Hermoine aside.

"Hermoine! I have loads to tell you!" she spoke, excited, after yanking her friend to the side of the hall among students passing them by.

"Oh! Pray tell! Did you find more?"

"Not exactly~ but perhaps it is something far better… It is about my parents. I'll explain more at leisure hour…"

"No, I think it is best that you explain more to me now," Hermoine suggested as they continued to walk on.

"Very well… Christmas time was quite different this time around, with him taking me to see my parents. Some years he'd go alone, but this time he took me with him. There were things that happened back then that I did not realize… My real father James saved Prince's life once… and he was once close to my mother, Lily." Lyra further explained in a very hushed voice. "They all fought together against ~ You-Know-Who…long before he killed them… They tried to use Prince, even though he tried to get away… It-it seems this Dark Wizard, he's already taken a heavy toll on all of us. One thing I desire to know is if I will ever be ready… because they certainly weren't."

"Oh my, Lyra~"

"I will show you what I found, but it has to wait until tonight…"

The sunlight dazzled over the smoothness of the lake, and along the bank at groups of laughing girls and boys after indulging their lunch in the Great Hall. They say with their legs deep and knee high in the water as the day stayed warm as spring seemed to make itself known now. As for the boys, the Quidditch Pitch turned out to become one of their most favored of hang abouts, all of whom were unawares of many things going on in the grand castle, and what their teachers were them protecting against. The first Spring day was without a doubt, so beautiful to behold, that one could almost forget and be captivated. It did well in Lyra's eyes for motivation to study, even though her mind was quite boggled. It was when approached when this joyful facade began to falter…